Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

An enthralling coming-of-age story set in a world of Narnia-level seductiveness. Order of the Phoenix was the best volume (after the first, one that is) in a series that defined quality young adult fiction for this decade and beyond. It hugely expanded the wizard world, and Harry’s emotional world too — it’s the one where we watch Harry discover anger, and the wizarding world go to a war footing. It’s the one where Sirius Black died. Harry was never the same again. Neither were the rest of us.